Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW 'Sorry About That' book expands ... Fallen tree debris at Howard Prairie is being used to create habitat for infant wild coho ... Ashland to purchase Acid Rock Castles ... 'Sorry About That' book expands ... Fallen tree debris at Howard Prairie is being used to create habitat for infant wild coho ... Ashland to purchase Acid Rock Castles ... SILVERSPOT BUTTERFLIES Zoo releases summer's last batch Nearly 450 pupae were left along the Oregon Coast in the past month Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 8, 2016 at 6:51 PM By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 8, 2016 at 6:51 PM » Social News PORTLAND — The Oregon Zoo has released the last batch of its zoo-raised Oregon silverspot butterflies into the wild as it winds up a summer program aimed at boosting the numbers of the once-common yellow-and-black butterfly in coastal habitats. The zoo has transported nearly 450 butterfly pupae to four sites along the Oregon Coast in the past month. There, the butterflies finish their metamorphosis in "pupae pockets" inside protective mesh, the zoo said in a statement Monday. They flit away when they emerge. "It was the perfect time of year to be out there, right in the middle of the flight season," said zoo conservation research associate Karen Lewis. The silverspot was once common in coastal grasslands from northern California to Canada. It is now listed as threatened due under the Endangered Species Act because of the loss of its host plant, the early blue violet. Only five populations of the butterfly remain. The zoo has been raising Oregon silverspots since 1998 and generally collects female butterflies each year from atop Tillamook County's Mount Hebo. The females are brought to the zoo's conservation lab, where they lay eggs. The resulting caterpillars are kept through the winter and then transported back to the wild once they have spun themselves into pupae to undergo their transformation into butterflies. This is the first summer the pupae have also been released atop Mount Hebo, which is a critical habitat for the species. Recent drought conditions have caused a dramatic decline in the silverspot population there due to a die-off of the early blue violet plants that the caterpillars feed on. "Essentially, we're putting back what we took and adding quite a few more," Lewis said. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 8, 2016 at 6:51 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501